Cub scout Samantha Poilievre holds a tree for her brother Daniel, a scout, as he trims the bottom of the tree for Graham Cook. Cook has bought a tree from the 1st Cedar Hill Scout Group’s annual Christmas tree sale since 1991. Travis Paterson/News Staff

Couple honours Scouts Christmas tree sale for 27 years

For 27 years, Graham and Dorothy Cook have picked out a Christmas tree, not too big, but not too small, from the 1st Cedar Hill Scout Group annual Christmas tree sale.

The fundraiser is underway from Dec. 2 to 22, weeknights from 5 to 7 p.m. and weekends from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

On Saturday the Cooks were the Cedar Hill Scouts’ first customers of the year.

“We generally prefer a native tree to the area, a Douglas fir, because it’s a local tree, but we’re not that fussy, whatever we fancy at the time,” Graham said.

The scouts hall brought in about 350 trees this year. About 45 per cent of the tree sales go into the Cedar Hill Scouts Group programs, covering a third of the annual costs, such as camping and other events. The club is home to beavers (5 to 7), cubs (8 to 10), scouts (11 to 13), venturers (14 to 17) and rovers (18 to 26).

This year’s trees include Douglas fir, grand fir, noble fir, spruce, sub-alpine fir, and “Charlie Brown” trees. Most are from the Island, and all are B.C. grown.

One of the scouting families, with venturer Adrrian Schmunk, helped sponsor a Syrian family who came to Canada in September 2016.

For the holidays, the Schmunks and 1st Cedar Hill Scouts set the Syrian family up with a tree and decorations.

“They have been in Canada for over a year and now live in the Gordon Head area with three children,” Schmunk said. “My venturer group kindly agreed to donate a Christmas tree to them and I’m excited to help them participate.

“I’m proud that my scouting family is welcoming a new Canadian family in a true Christmas spirit,” Schmunk said.

Cedar Hill Scout Hall is at 3680 Cottonwood St. (behind the McDonald’s on Shelbourne Street).